For a first glimpse of the Cleveland Cavaliers in front of fans for the 2021-22 season, Saturday’s Wine & Gold scrimmage gave fans a preview behind what the team has been working with so far through training camp.
Throughout this training camp, Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has talked about wanting to speed the game up and look to get out in transition. On Saturday, the team showcased that in full force.
It was tough to keep up with all of the baskets that were bouncing back and forth between the squads. The most impressive was Lauri Markkanen, who started off on fire, drilling four of his first five three-point shots in the game.
Markkanen’s three-point shooting will definitely add another dynamic to the offense, which Bickerstaff spoke on after the game, “That’s who he is. I think we’ve seen over his career what he’s capable of. And I think what we’re gonna see is that he’s more than just a spot shooter.”
“He can catch and shoot off the move, but he also has an offensive game where you can give him the ball in isolation situations and he can get you a bucket there too.”
An interesting lineup look came when young big man Evan Mobley and Markkanen were on the floor at the same time, with Mobley frequently finding his fellow big man open from beyond the arc.
Mobley’s suddenness and quickness as a big man are quite a sight in person. For someone his size to have that level of agility, well the math just doesn’t add up. The man is a walking matchup nightmare.
Bickerstaff was impressed with the Cavaliers rookie following the scrimmage: “I think he showed the depth of his skill set and the versatility, how he can work on both sides of the floor. Whether it was blocking shots, whether it was switching and keeping smalls in front of him. Offensively, his ability to create his own shot, but we also saw him back his man down and create for others.”
He continued saying, “He’s got a ton of skill and a ton of talent. And, it’s not a singular thing. He’s not a one dimensional player. He’s [going to] be a guy for a long time that puts up on both ends of the floor because of the dynamic skill set he has.”
Fans will have their first look at the Cavaliers in-game action on Tuesday night as the team travels to Chicago to face off against Markkanen’s former team, the Chicago Bulls, with tip-off scheduled for 8:00 pm.
